Sabbatical

A beautiful Thursday to each of you. 

Make time to connect with yourself and with others today.

I am a few weeks into a sabbatical journey. Six months to find the meaning of life. And the clock is ticking.

In university terms, a sabbatical is a chance to push back from the regular work and focus on scholarship. Not exactly the vacation that people think when they hear the word, but definitely a chance to lighten the load for a bit.

In my case, I am going to work on writing more around the importance of finding a strengths-based approach in our clinical work. Turning “What’s wrong with you?” into “What’s right with you?” Finding ways to pay as much attention to people’s strengths as we do their deficits, problems and health conditions.

When my patients asked what I was going to do on my sabbatical, I also added that I was hoping to slow down. In fact, more than anything I may produce while on sabbatical, I asked them to ask me how I did at slowing down when I see them next.

I live a life of perpetual motion, and while I think that has some positives to it, I also value the idea of slowing down. I think a slow-down would be healthy for me, and for most of us. How to put that into practice? I will get back to you on that. The clock is ticking.

Leading up to November 1^st, the beginning of the sabbatical, I walked into beautiful moments and conversations. Patients who shared wisdom. Friends who texted wise thoughts. I thought I would share three of those here today, expecting that they will be meaningful for you as well.

A text I received on 11/1:

Thrive with moments of nothingness. They are often filled with somethingness. 

                        – Jill Sanders

A conversation in which I shared my fear that things might implode when I am gone:

Trust that it will all work out.

                        – Peter Holter

And in a conversation around why it is so hard to put self-care as a priority:

It is a marathon. You have to stop at a feeding station every now and then. 

                        -Ted Rocafort

(Extra credit for using a running analogy with me - he knew this is a language I understand)

May each of these pieces of wisdom enhance your journey today. 

And thank you for being a part of my journey.